Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the fourth Read Harder task.

This one sounds intriguing!

My Friend Dahmer

Ghost World

Daph wrote: "This one sounds intriguing!

My Friend Dahmer"

I'm doing this one too.

Nimona or Adulthood Is a Myth. I need to double check each, make sure they're also illustrated by the author.

Audra wrote: "Daph wrote: "This one sounds intriguing!

My Friend Dahmer"

I'm doing this one too."

We should do a buddy read for it lol

Teresa wrote: "Nimona or Adulthood Is a Myth. I need to double check each, make sure they're also illustrated by the author."

I believe Nimona is that is the one I am planning on using

Where does one find books in this category? Would a library have them? Half Price book store?

Karen wrote: "Where does one find books in this category? Would a library have them? Half Price book store?"

Libraries very well might have them & I know Barnes and Nobles & Amazon do. I count graphic novels as comics myself and they have a ton of them.

This will definitely be My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 2 for me. As long as it's released in 2018, that is. It's been delayed several times already.

Theresa wrote: "This will definitely be My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 2 for me. As long as it's released in 2018, that is. It's been delayed several times already."

I’m thinking about reading the first volume for this prompt...I’ve heard a lot of good things about it.

Daph wrote: "This one sounds intriguing!

My Friend Dahmer"

Oooh, seeing the movie tomorrow!

I really do not like reading comics/graphic novels, etc and and not thrilled that there are 3 comic challenges this year (there is already a comics challenge.) I never double up, but I might for this. Considering The Complete Maus for this and prompt #18

Karen wrote: "Where does one find books in this category? Would a library have them? Half Price book store?"

Libraries will have comics and graphic novels. mine had very large sections of each. Amazon has them all, and most cities have a number of comic stores if you like to shop local.

Bonnie wrote: "I really do not like reading comics/graphic novels, etc and and not thrilled that there are 3 comic challenges this year (there is already a comics challenge.) I never double up, but I might for th..."

Three comic-related tasks seemed like a lot to me too. I’ve been trying to give comics/graphic novels more of a chance, but it just isn’t a medium that I connect with. For what it is worth, I read the first volume of Maus earlier this year, and I thought it was quite good...almost a 5-star read, which is a pretty high rating for me to give a graphic novel (well, memoir, I guess is more accurate).

I agree. Not thrilled about the 3 comic book reads but will give this a try lol

Sarah wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I really do not like reading comics/graphic novels, etc and and not thrilled that there are 3 comic challenges this year (there is already a comics challenge.) I never double up, but..."

That is encouraging, thanks! March One was a five star for me because John Lewis is a hero of mine and because I could appreciate the quality of the book, but I would still have rather read a regular autobiography.

Bonnie wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I really do not like reading comics/graphic novels, etc and and not thrilled that there are 3 comic challenges this year (there is already a comics challenge.) I never ..."

Good to hear...I’ve been wanting to read March.

Bonnie wrote: "I really do not like reading comics/graphic novels, etc and and not thrilled that there are 3 comic challenges this year (there is already a comics challenge.) I never double up, but I might for th..."

Yeah, I am not a fan, either, and I think this is excessive. But if you're a foodie, give Relish: My Life in the Kitchen a try. I found it light and refreshing.

Hi fellow comic/graphic novel dislikers! If you want to hit all three comic challenges at once, Gene Luen Yang is a great author to look into. I believe Boxers & Saints and American Born Chinese were both published by First Second, so they qualify for all three challenges - he illustrates and writes both of those, and he's Chinese-American. I loved American Born Chinese despite my dislike of comics, and am glad that the challenges are finally making me read Boxers & Saints - I've heard nothing but good things!

Thanks Kate! I have read a ton about the Boxer rebellion and lived in China for a bit. This sounds perfect!

and thanks Stina, I am a foodie too! Options are good.

I highly recommend The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye.

Thanks Stina, I am definitely a foodie. I just requested Relish through an inter library loan. Neither of my local libraries has it but I think this is one I will enjoy reading.

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 1

I think I may read Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too, and it'll carry over to the other 2 graphic novel categories as well.

Would The Complete Persepolis work for this one? I can definitely recommend Nimona; I read it a couple years ago and loved it.

I'm going with Will You Still Love Me If I Wet the Bed? or Ghost World

I'll be reading The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, as I've read very little of it beyond the iconic strip that spawned the Bechdel Test. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic would also be a good choice here, and I highly recommend Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, which would fill all the comics challenges

Jennifer wrote: "I'll be reading The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, as I've read very little of it beyond the iconic strip that spawned the Bechdel Test. [book:Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic|261358..."

Fun Home looks interesting!

Candace wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I'll be reading The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, as I've read very little of it beyond the iconic strip that spawned the Bechdel Test. [book:Fun Home: A Family ..."

I read it a few years ago for a book club. It was pretty good. I'm not sure I agree with her whole "my father obviously committed suicide" premise, but it was an interesting look at family dynamics. A bunch of us from the book club are going to see the musical in February.

A lot of Jeff Lemire's work fits this challenge. I really enjoyed Sweet Tooth, Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods and Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars. I haven't read Royal City, Vol. 1: Next of Kin or Essex County so will probably go with one of those.

Other possibilities: SuperMutant Magic Academy Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction

Other author/illustrators to look for: Jack Kirby Frank Miller Darwyn Cooke andMike Mignola

Where do you draw the line between comics and graphic novels? I have selected graphic novels for all 3 of my comic tasks; not sure how much of a stretch that is.

(For this one I'm planning on reading Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too as well.)

Ellie wrote: "Where do you draw the line between comics and graphic novels? I have selected graphic novels for all 3 of my comic tasks; not sure how much of a stretch that is.

(For this one I'm planning on rea..."

I personally count them as the same thing. Comics, though, are _technically_ more serialized/shorter (released in issues), where graphic novels are written as one long story from the beginning (no issues). When I read comics, I read whole volumes/collections, and at that point, they might as well be graphic novels.

Calvin and Hobbes the complete set

Daph wrote: "Audra wrote: "Daph wrote: "This one sounds intriguing!

My Friend Dahmer"

I'm doing this one too."

We should do a buddy read for it lol"

I'm reading this one too! Seems a popular choice! I picked it more for the subject - I've never really read graphic novels!

I'm planning on My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 1.

Others I've read and liked that could work for this are The Best We Could Do, Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too, The Complete Maus, Nimona, Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened and Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.

Highly recommend Blankets, by Craig Thompson

I read Flying Couch: A Graphic Memoir and it was interesting quick read

4) Alien: Dead Orbit author/artist James Stokoe

15) 32 pages

18) Publisher: Dark Horse

Andrea wrote: "A lot of Jeff Lemire's work fits this challenge. I really enjoyed Sweet Tooth, Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods and Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars. I haven't read [book:..."

Royal City is excellent!

I highly recommend anything by Lucy Knisley for this challenge. Her books don't read like typical comic books. I started with French Milk, but also loved Relish: My Life in the Kitchen and Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride. I plan to read Displacement: A Travelogue, which I somehow missed until now.

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel is a masterpiece. I consider it one of the best books I’ve ever read, in any genre. It’s her memoir about her childhood and coming of age growing up in a funeral home. It’s packed with literary references. It’s an excellent, excellent read, even if you’re not a comics person.

I am with the group not into comics and graphic novels, but I'm game. I just need some lists to go with some of these prompts. I'm trying to read books I already have. Anything would help. Thanks.

Pashmina is another one that would knock out all three comic books categories. It's written and illustrated by an Indian-American woman and published by First Second.

I'm intrigued byAya and its sequel Aya of Yop City. The Ivory Coast is the setting.

I'm finally going to read Self-Obsessed by Sina Grace

Do mangas count for this challenge?

I'm in the minority. I read graphic novels voraciously. I love them! I am not a huge superhero reader, and luckily there is a huge influx of biography, memoir, non-fiction and fiction work in graphic novels today that is deeply compelling!

Spinning by Tillie Walden
As The Crow Flies by Melanie Gillman
Patience by Daniel Clowes
Home Time by Campbell Whyte
Mooncop by Tom Gauld
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
Rolling Blackouts by Sarah Glidden
My Favourite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris

Some non-fiction, some memoirs, some fantasy, some time travel, but all written and drawn by the same person. All were amazing!

Karen wrote: "I'm intrigued byAya and its sequel Aya of Yop City. The Ivory Coast is the setting."

Aya is written by Marguerite Abouet but illustrated by Clément Oubrerie, so it wouldn't work for this one, but it does fit both of the other comic challenges (written by a POC and not published by Marvel/DC/Image).